PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE


ON A ROLL


It appears that good, maybe even GREAT times are here again in trucking. Not that we really slowed down much during the recent Great Recession but, if the calls we’re getting from Chambers of Commerce and Economic Development agencies across the state wondering how we can help their businesses and industries find trucks and/or drivers are any indication, we ARE on a roll. Te economy appears to be booming in all business and geographic sectors across the state. However, before we celebrate too much we must also understand with this “blessing” a truck shortage may also bring a curse.


As any economic developer in our state will tell us, the essential ingredients of being able to attract new and retain existing business investment and job growth is to have a balance of well priced Land, Labor, Lights (electrical power) and Logistics (transportation costs in/out/through our state). Of course a business friendly climate, a favorable tax environment and access to performance based economic development dollars are also very important factors in keeping or retaining business in our state. If any of these factors become unbalanced, our state has the potential of losing our competitive edge in attracting or retaining valuable business investment and job growth.


Certainly, having the lowest unemployment rate (2.7 percent statewide) in the nation is great news, unless you’re an employer that is hoping to grow their business. In our industry, with freight rates/ volumes on the rise, many companies would like to add trucks (business investment) and hire drivers (job growth). In Nebraska, we’re very fortunate to have a number of high quality private and public (6 community college campus/1 University) CDL training programs across the state. While many private and public CDL programs across the country were shrinking or disappearing during the recent economic slowdown, with the help of Nebraska’s Dept. of Labor and organizations like Proteus’s tuition support for CDL programs ours have been full and waitlisted. Many people that had the attitude and aptitude for becoming a CDL holder or diesel technicians have found rewarding, high wage, high demand new careers.


Yet, despite our efforts and partnerships in our Dept. of Economic Development, Labor and Education to create long term, sustainable career pathways in Transportation, Distribution, Warehousing and Logistics that people enter by choice and not chance in our “Middle School to Masters” TDWL training, our industry’s demand continues to grow faster than our supply. Te reality of trying to split an already “low” unemployment rate with other industries growing labor shortage is currently upon us and current trends don’t show any relief.


Recognizing this and the value of TDWL’s career pathway to our state and nation, the U.S Department of Labor has awarded the Nebraska Dept. of Labor a $4.1 million (National Emergency Project grant that is targeted at developing innovative work-based Transportation,Distribution, Logistics and Manufacturing Logistics pilot programs to attract and train dislocated workers, the long term unemployed, and veterans returning from service. In partnership with the Nebraska Dept of Labor, we will be helping to facilitate awareness of the grant, assist in developing sustainable pilot programs and education on how to apply for a portion of the grant dollars. Te state’s goal is to have serve 800 or more new employees with this grant. If you have questions or need additional information, please email me at ljohnson@nebtrucking.com or (402) 429-4902 cell). Until the next edition!


Larry Johnson President


Nebraska Trucking ljohnson@nebtrucking.com 4 NEBRASKA TRUCKER — ISSUE 2, 2015 — www.nebtrucking.com


Nebraska Trucking Executive Committee


CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD CHRIS KLOTZ SBT, Inc.


Chief Carriers, Inc. VICE-CHAIR


CHAIR-ELECT BOB CLARK


Distribution, Inc. TREASURER


BOB WINTER


Flatbed Express SECRETARY


MARY DAVIE


Romans Motor Freight AT-LARGE OFFICER


SCOTT ROMANS


CRYSTAL ANDERSON Pitney Bowes Presort


Greater Omaha Express LLC


AT-LARGE OFFICER BRENT FALGIONE


STATE VICE PRESIDENT TO ATA ERICH HELGE


Seward Motor Freight


ALTERNATE STATE VICE PRESIDENT TO ATA MIKE HERRE


Fremont Contract Carriers BOARD OF DIRECTORS


Duane Acklie Don Adams Dean Aden


Steven Aherns George Akerson


Crystal Anderson Tim Aschoff Blaine Batten


Dennis Bauder David Billings


Joanie M. Bogers Kurt Brown


Butch Brown Terry Chvatal Bob Clark


Tom Coffey Mary Davie Eldon Dokter Rafael Dorador


Dwight Dunsworth Dave Erlandson Brent Falgione Ross Faubel Corby Flagle


Hugh Fugleberg Mike Galvin


Norman Geiken Rick Gomel


Dick Hauptman Erich Helge


Michael Herre Albert Hill


Alan Hingst


Duane Hobscheidt Pam Hook Dan Hurt


B.Vincent James


Kimberly Johnson Don Kaiser Jim Kerr


Larry Kersten


Jerry Kilthau Chris Klotz


Tom Koenigs


Jean Kurtenbach Dennis Leslie Heidi Loop


Dean Lynch Ron Mencl Trey Mytty Ron Nolte Scott Olson


Tonn Ostergard Dave Parker Jack Peetz


Dean Petersen Eric Pierson Dick Pierson Tom Pirnie


Gene Quandt Dick Reiser


Greg Reitmeier Scott Romans


Ronald Romans John Sahling


Robert Sahling Roger Schmidt


Terry Schnauber Alan Schulz Jack Shultz


Russell Stough


Daniel Tompkins Jason Turner


Kevin vonRentzell Nick Vuko


Dave Walde


Clarence Werner Jerry Wessel Robert Winter Brian Wood


Robert Wynne Rallen R Zeitner


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